Marouane Fellaini's first Manchester United brace helped Jose Mourinho's men to another comprehensive victory, leaving Crystal Palace reeling from a seventh straight Premier League defeat without so much as a goal.

Saturday's Old Trafford encounter was a complete mismatch between two teams on opposing trajectories.

Fellaini's double was sandwiched between Juan Mata and Romelu Lukaku goals in a comprehensive 4-0 win that saw United equal their record tally of 19 points after seven Premier League matches as embattled Palace fell to another loss.

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He comprehensively got the better of Joel Ward on the left before providing the cutback from which Mata opened the scoring, and delivered an excellent free-kick - as David Beckham watched on from the stands - that Fellaini headed in for his second goal.

Marouane Fellaini heads in (Image: Getty Images Europe)

VIEW FROM THE DUGOUT

Quite simply, what a contrast. United boss Mourinho appeared annoyed once or twice at things he saw on the field, and had to dry his hair with a towel at one point, but this wet afternoon could hardly have gone much better for him as his unbeaten team ascended to the top of the table.

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There was little really in this latest defeat for goalless, rock-bottom Palace - playing most of the contest with Bakary Sako as a makeshift striker, in the absence of the injured Christian Benteke - to suggest they have anything other than a long, hard battle for survival ahead of them.

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson appears dejected (Image: PA)

That's nine goals conceded in their last two matches, with a clash with champions Chelsea up next.

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This match saw Palace equal Portsmouth's Premier League record of seven straight losses from the start of 2009/10. United scored four times in a game for the sixth time in all competitions this season.